Community of Democracies

Fri 11/10/2002

The second assembly of the 'Community of Democracies' will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from 9 to 12 November next. Those attending will include government and ministerial delegations from more than one hundred countries and a Forum of more than 300 NGOs, including the Transnational Radical Party and the organisation 'No Peace Without Justice'.

This event is particularly significant because it provides an opportunity for thinking about and boosting the instruments and procedures for promoting the rule of law, political democracy and respect for human rights in the world. Foreign ministers from a number of countries have already said they will attend, including the US Secretary of State Colin Powell, whilst there has been no indication that the European Union is to take part as such or whether the individual governments of the Fifteen will participate or make a contribution. Since the preparatory papers concerning the deliberations in Seoul are already being circulated, can the Commission say: how the European Union and the Commission are preparing for this important event and at what ministerial level participation is planned; what is or will be the European contribution to this initiative, since the objectives of the 'Community of Democracies' coincide with the commitments and principles solemnly declared on several occasions by the European Union in connection with the need to consolidate and promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights in the world on the basis of a joint effort by all the countries governed by democratic systems?